Andrew Hill: Black Fire

In the mid-1960s, pianist/composer Andrew Hill was testing the waters of the avant-garde while keeping one foot planted on hard-bop ground. On his first album for Blue Note, after he and his mainstream colleagues introduce the quirky but lyrical melody of "Black Fire," they create rhythmically complex improvisations that often disguise its three-beat waltz meter and conventional form. Although Hills tune and his improvisational style are highly original, the other players adapt expertly to the setting.